Dental implants in Bali or Vietnam: a guide for Australians

Dental implants in Bali or Vietnam are both options Australians consider, and the honest starting point is what Australia's own dental body says. The Australian Dental Association advises Australian residents to have elective dental treatment in Australia, and to see an Australian dentist before considering treatment overseas. If you still decide to go, the clinic and the surgeon matter more than the destination, and the two trips that implants usually need have to fit your entry rules, leave and budget.

This guide sets out the Australian Dental Association's concerns, compares Bali and Vietnam on entry, healthcare and medicines using official travel advice, and lists the checks for any clinic. It doesn't compare prices, because there is no reliable source for country averages.

What the Australian Dental Association advises

The Australian Dental Association's policy on elective overseas dental treatment says Australian residents should only seek elective dental treatment in Australia. Its reasons include:

• difficulty keeping up supportive maintenance visits
• the risk of long-term problems that may be hard to resolve
• communication difficulties that may affect informed consent
• possible lack of insurance cover for complications
• lack of recourse for treatment and maintenance problems
• not necessarily seeing the same dentist on later visits
• lack of access to treatment records
• the risk of bringing antimicrobial-resistant organisms back to Australia
• difficulty finding a dentist at home to continue or repair the work
• materials not approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)

Its consumer site, teeth.org.au, adds that treatment overseas may be cheaper, but for people who have complications it may cost more in the long term. It notes that only TGA-approved materials are used in Australia and that infection control rules differ between countries.

If you still go: what to consider first

The policy lists what to consider carefully before treatment overseas:

• the practitioner's qualifications
• infection prevention and control standards, including the quality of water supplied to the clinic
• the quality and compatibility of materials, the techniques and the likely outcome
• whether you can claim rebates from your health fund
• how complaints are resolved

It also recommends seeing an Australian dentist before you start. Take copies of your X-rays and the dentist's advice with you when you ask overseas clinics for plans.

Bali and Vietnam compared

	Bali (Indonesia)	Vietnam
Entry (UK travel advice, British citizens)	30-day visa on arrival, single entry, extendable once for 30 days; apply online at least a week before	Up to 45 days visa-free, or a 90-day e-visa with multiple entries
Extra at arrival	Bali tourist levy of 150,000 rupiah; online customs and health declaration within 72 hours of arrival	Use the entry and exit points chosen on your e-visa
Passport validity	At least 6 months from arrival, 2 blank pages	At least 6 months from arrival, 2 blank pages
Ambulance	118	115
UK advice on healthcare	The standard of local medical care can be poor; medical evacuation can cost tens of thousands of pounds	Check your destination can provide the healthcare you may need; the FCDO lists providers where some staff speak English
Medicines	Rules can differ from the UK's	Illegal to have more than 7 days of prescribed addictive or psychotropic medicine; many medicines are fake
Where clinics are	Check each clinic's location	Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang and Nha Trang

These entry rules are the UK government's advice for British citizens. Australians should check Smartraveller and the Indonesian and Vietnamese embassies for the rules that apply to an Australian passport.

Implants mean two trips

An implant is usually placed on one trip and given its crown on another, often 3 to 6 months later, after it has healed into the bone. Dental implants explains each stage, and planning your visits shows how long each trip usually takes. Before you choose a destination, check:

• whether you can take leave and pay for flights twice
• whether each trip fits the entry rules
• whether the same surgeon will see you on the second trip
• what happens if the implant needs attention between trips

Questions to ask any overseas clinic

The Australian Dental Association's consumer site suggests asking:

• Is the dentist a registered health professional, and were they trained at a reputable university?
• What are the country's infection control standards, and are they as strict as Australia's?
• If you have complications, can they be treated while you are still overseas?
• Can you trust the reviews the clinic shows online?

For implants, add:

• Which implant system do you use, and can I have its details for my dentist at home?
• Will you take a 3D scan before planning the implant?
• What does the warranty cover, for how long, and how do I claim from Australia?
• Who pays for extra travel or corrective work if the implant fails?

In Vietnam, every verified clinic on VietDentalTrip has shown us its operating licence, its lead dentist's practising certificate and its address. How we verify clinics explains each check, and choosing a clinic covers what to look for anywhere.

Insurance, medicines and records

UK travel advice for both destinations recommends insurance that covers local medical treatment and medical evacuation. For Indonesia it warns that evacuation can cost tens of thousands of pounds. Ask your travel insurer whether planned treatment and its complications are covered, and ask your health fund whether you can claim any rebate.

If you take regular medicines, check the rules before you travel. UK advice says it's illegal to have more than 7 days of prescribed addictive or psychotropic medicine in Vietnam. Carry your prescription and a doctor's letter.

Bring home your X-rays, scans, treatment notes and implant details. Your Australian dentist will need them. Is dental tourism safe? covers the wider risks.

Checklist before you book

• I've seen an Australian dentist and have copies of my X-rays
• I've compared itemised written plans from two or three clinics
• I know who will place the implant and that they are registered
• I've asked about infection control and the implant system
• Both trips fit my entry rules, leave and budget
• The warranty and follow-up plan are in writing
• My insurance and health fund position are clear

What is the best country for dental tourism? compares more destinations. If Vietnam is on your list, plan your trip to get written quotes from up to three verified clinics.